Machine and method for removing dents from filled cans



July 11, 1933. R. B. TAYLOR 1,918,004

MACHINE AND METHOD FUR REMOVING DENTS FROM FILLED CANS Filed Nov. 20, 1931 I N V EN TOR.

F055? rB/ma/rs 73 V4 A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICEIh ROBERT BROOKS TAYLOR, OEYKAPA A, TERRITORY .OF HAWAII MACHINE AND METHOD ronnnmovrnennivrs rno vr FILLED Carts 7 Application filed Kovember 20, Serial No, 576,354, i

they are rendered unfit for sale as a regular standard article and have: to be sold as an 10 inferior product, if they can be disposed of at all. The tendency of cans to become dented is increased by the partial vacuum that exists in the cans.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a means for straightening out these dents, which uses the'principle of centrifugal force, setting up a force on the inside of the can against the wall, which has become dented, and increasing this force to the point where the wall 7 is flattened out against a suitable shape or form, thus returning it to substantially its original condition. The preferred form of my invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which I Figure 1 shows a vertical section through a machine made in accordance with my invention; a

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the machine with anupper section removed; the cans b ing illustrated in section; V I

Figure 3, a detail view illustrating the fit of a can against a molding form;

Figure 4, a sectional view of afiller for the end of the can; and

Figure 5, a vertical section through the upper portion of a can.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changesor modifications may be made within the'scop'e of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention. a I While the idea of utilizing centrifugal force for straightening out the wall of a can may be carried out in many different ways, I show, as the preferred form, a device comprising a shaft 1 suitably mounted with freeom of rotary motion in a bearing 2 and having an annular platform 3 fixed thereto by means of a hub section 4'. i The platform 3 has an annular flange 5 rising therefrom. Thisflange is of considerable width, as shown in the dra'win'gy and' isformed with semi circular recesses 5"-adapted to receive forms or molds hereinafter referred to. "A plate 6, corresponding in size and shape to the plat 7 form 3 and having a downwardly eiztending annular flange 7' corresponding in shape to the flange 5, is slidably mounted on the shaft 1 by means of a sleeve '8, which is Vertically guided on the shaft by means of a key 8" and which may be adjusted on the shaft by any suitable means, as by the fork 9,"shown schematically in Figure 1. The shaft may be rotated by means of the motor 10" or in any other suitable manner. The key 8 holds the platform 3 and the plate 6 with their respec-' tive recesses in registry at all times. I Between the platform 3 and the plate 6, I 5 mount a plurality of 'forms' or molds 12, which correspond in shape substantially to the shape of the cans to be treated, butwhich preferably, if the cans are cylindrical in form, are' made on a radius slightly less than that of the cans for which they are intended. A number of these forms,as shownin Figure 2, are interposed between the platform 3 and the plate 6 so as to rest in the recesses of the flanges 5 and 7, the recesses corresponding in shape to the molds, so that the latter are held and supported against centrifugal motion throughout their entire width. It will be understood that these forms or molds 12 may be readily exchanged to accommodate 85 different sizes or shapes of cans] 1 i The tops of the cans usually are not made fiat but are stepped and concave as shown at 14, in Figure 5, and the contentsjof the can, 7 when subjectedto centrifugal motion at high speed, have atendency to raise the'top and particularly the concave central portion and 1 to loosen the beads on the edge of the can. To avoid this, I provide suitable fillers 15, fitting the concavity of the tops and preventing any change'in form of the latter. These fill ers may be used at the bottom as well as on 7 top. The manner of using my device is as; follows:

- and the fillers, whereby the cans are firmly face of the secured in place. The shaft 1 is then rotated at high speed.

This causes the cans to revolve aroundv the center of rotation and it causes the contents of the can to be urged toward the dented section, whereby the latter is forced outwardly against the mold and is flattened to conform to the shape of the mold. As has been pointed out, the mold is built on an arc, the radius of which is slightly less thanthe radius of the can, thus permitting the recovery of the tinplate, due to its native elasticity after straightening of the dent, as shown in the drawing.

The centrifugalforce urging the contents of the can against the dented wall'has atendency tostraighten out the wall against the mold andbrings it back to its normal form so as to render the article salable asa standard article. 4 V r The centrifugal motion has nodamaging effect on the contents of the can since in most cases, the product in the can, such as pineapple for instance, is packed in some sort of syrup which closely approaches the specific gravity of the product itself. I have proven, for instance, by actual experience, that pineapples packed in syrup will not be damaged in any way by this procedure, notwithstanding the fragile naturei of the slices in thecan.

It stands to reason that the device may be easily adjusted to fitdiiferent sizes of cans by the'mere substitution of different sized molds 12 between the platform 3 and the plate '6. The capacity of the machine depends entirely upon its size and the nature of its construction. v p s It is likely that a machine using the principle of this invention can be designed for a continuous feed and discharge to take the dent out of the cans no matter where located, but for the time being, the principal object of the present application is to protect the principle 'of the use of centrifugal force for furnishing pressure from the inside of the can towards the outside, so that the wall of the container may be forced against a surproper shape." 7

I claim:

against when the platform is rotated.

2. The method of removing dents from a filled can which consists in imparting revolving motion to the can whereby the contentsare urged against the dented section.

3. The method of removing dents from a filled can which consists in revolving the can about a center lyingoutside of the can and with the dented section facing away from the axis of rotation whereby the contents of the can areurged against the dentingl section.

4. A machine for removing dents from cylindrical cans or the like comprising a revolvable member having a semi-cylindrical mold mounted'thereon with its open face turned toward the center of rotation and adapted to receivea can therein for removing dents from the outer face of thecan by centrifugal force when the member is rotated.

5. A machine for removing dents from cylindrical cans or the like comprising a revolvable member having a semi-cylindrical mold mounted thereon with its open face turned toward the center of rotation and adapted to receive a can therein for removing dents from. the outer face'of the can by centrifugalforce when the member is rotated,

the mold being of a radius slightly smaller than that of the can. 7

G. A machine for removing dents from a can comprising a revolvable member having a semi-can-cnci'rcling mold mounted thereon with its openjface turned toward'the center i of rotation and adapted to receive the can therein for removing dents'from the outer face of the can bycentrifugal force when the member is rotated.

7. A machine for removing dents from a can having concave end pieces comprising a rev'olvable member having asemi-can-encircling mold mounted thereon with its open face turned toward the center of rotation and f i adapted to receive the can thereinfor removing dents from the outer face of the, can by centrifugal force when f the member is 1-0 tated,andhaving'means bearing on the end faces of the can with'fillers for filling theconcavities of the end'pieces, V

' ROBERT BRo oK's TAYLOR. 

